Recreation device



Nov. 5, I963 NBOEVERLY LYNN WHEELER 3109651 l w BY CHANGE OF'NAME I LYNNw 01: A

ONNELL RECREATION DEVICE Filed Ap til 4, 1961 United States Patent3,109,651 RECREATION DEVICE Beverly Lynn Wheeler, Larchmont, N.Y., nowby change of name, Lynn W. ODonnell Filed Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 100,5581 Claim. (Cl. 273-409) The present invention pertains to improvements inrecreation devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a game device in whichcoordinated selective twisting and flexing movements of the playersarms, shoulders, back and legs may be employed to accomplish theprescribed result of the ame. g A further object is to provide a gamedevice including a tubular casing adapted to encircle the users body andforming alternative interior passageways through which an enclosed ballmay be selectively directed by properly coordinated bodily movements.

A further object is to provide a game device wherein a ball may becaused to roll throughout alternative paths within a transparent tubularcasing.

A further object is to provide a game device adapted to furnish theplayer with healthful exercise and coordinational training as well asamusement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident duringthe course of the following description in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 illustrates a typical form ofthe device in operation by a player;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the device shown inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the same taken in the plane 33, FIGURE2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 but illustrating analternative form of the casing; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the alternative embodiment in the plane5-5, FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral designates a tubular casing,preferably of transparent plastic, formed with a generally toroidalmiddle portion 11 and two forwardly extending tangential branches 12 and13. Within the casing is a ball 14 of such size, as illustrated in FIG.3, as to be freely rollable throughout all the interconnected passageswithin the middle portion and branches.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 1, the player 15 places the device withthe middle portion 11 encircling his body and grasps the forwardlyextending branches 12 and 13, his forearms preferably engaging thebranches as illustrated. In a game sequence, assuming the ball 14 to beinitially located in the outer end of the branch 12, a typicalrequirement is to cause the ball 14 to roll rearwardly through thebranch 12, thence around throughout the middle portion 11, and finallyforward to the outer end of the branch 13, thus following the loopedpath 16 indicated in FIG. 2. This result having been accomplished, thesequence may then be carried out in reverse to return the ball to theouter end of the branch 12.

In the foregoing procedure, as previously mentioned, the motion andcontrol of the ball 14 are brought about by twisting and flexingmovements of the players arms, shoulders, back and legs. While he isassisted to some extent by being able to observe the motion of the ballin the front passageways of the transparent casing, the rear portion inwhich the proper crossing of the path 16 occurs lies behind his back; hetherefore must rely on acquired coordinated skill to prevent the ball 14from passing di- "ice rectly from the branch 12 to the branch 13 andthereby scoring a miss, the latter as made evident by the observedfailure of the ball to traverse the front of the toroidal middle portion11.

The above sequence has been set forth as a typical basic use of thedevice, but as greater skill is acquired, variations in the requiredsequence may be introduced to suit the fancy of the player or byagreement with his opponent in case of competition. As example, the ball14 may be required to circle two or more times throughout the middleportion 11 before finally entering the branch 13. Also, particularly incompetition, speed of performance may be made a factor requiringdiscriminating skill, since if the ball 14 is initially propelled intothe rear of the casing at too great a speed, centrifugal force willcause the ball to miss its connection with the inner loop of itsprescribed path.

In the form of the device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the two closed endbranches described above are replaced by a single continuous outer loopof tubing 17 extending forwardly about the middle portion 11. Thisarrangement provides a closed double looped path 18 through which theball 14 may be caused to travel continuously in the same rotationaldirection throughout as many operational cycles as the player may desireor be able successfully to achieve. Here again, the governing factorlies in the coordinated movements of the player, and he may introduceany variations in the sequential rules of the game which his fancy anddegree of skill suggest.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device provides a gameadapted to afford the player pleasant recreation as well as training inbodily coordination, and in which the necessary coordinated actionsautomatically furnish him with healthful but gentle exercise. It willalso be evident that the apparatus may be subject to obvious optionalvariations; for example, if desired the middle portion 11 may be shapedin oval rather than circular fashion and elastic wrist straps or thelike may be provided on the branches 12 and 13.

Thus, while the device has been set forth in preferred forms, it is notlimited to the precise embodiments illustrated, as various modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention withinthe scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a recreation device, in combination, a circular inner loop of tubulartransparent plastic adapted to encircle a players body, an outer loop ofsaid tubular plastic disposed eccentrically with respect to said innerloop and joined to the same to form two substantially tangentiallyintersecting internal passages, and an internally disposed ball adaptedto be directed alternatively throughout said two passages inpre-selected order under control of movements applied to said joinedloops by said player.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS440,160 Hoyt Nov. 11, 1890 1,736,176 Shepherd Nov. 19, 1929 2,450,830Helberg et a1. Oct. 5, 1948 2,466,116 Marong Apr. 5, 1949 2,515,346Jackson July 18, 1950 2,752,725 Unsworth July 3, 1956 2,946,152 RubinJuly 26, 1960 3,008,715 Bachman Nov. 14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,020Great Britain AD. 1915

